


Loser-Virgin-Nerd

by Vexicle



Series: Ice Cream Sundae [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Character Study, Drabble, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 20:57:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14120667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vexicle/pseuds/Vexicle
Summary: Why can't he just express his feelings? It'd be so much easier...





	Loser-Virgin-Nerd

_Being in love… doesn't really suit my image at all._

Aquilo pauses in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom. He smiles, and then tries pulling a face. 

_It's nice. Guess so._

Warily, the blond swivels his head back and forth. He knows he's probably just being paranoid, but whenever he's alone he can't shake the feeling that he's actually not. Someone's always watching, he swears.

Aquilo lowers the shirt he debated trying on, folds it and returns it to his junk drawer. He feels shameful, almost. Vain? Maybe he shouldn't care so much about this kind of stuff, but he does.

Aquilo feels like a goofy idiot, being all starry-eyed over Cherry and dumb shit like that. He stalks swiftly back to the mirror, and places his hands behind his back, puffing his chest out.

Hesitantly, he observes himself in the mirror again, but the most positive thought he can get is _...cumbersome._ It’s something that he refuses to let himself dwell on any further. Aquilo crosses his arms and places his hands on his shoulders. He feels… kind of distressed, somehow. He's afraid to even _think_ now. What if some random alien thought recorder is in his room right now or something? Placed by Iggy, or his parents, or whatever?

He probably won't be able to stand it. 

_They're gonna laugh._

“I'm not that type,” he says aloud, as if to ward off any imaginary thought predators. With a sigh, he flops back first onto his bed.

He’s Aquilo, unfortunately. Not being a goofball is his number one personality trait of all time, but unfortunately Cherry has to come along and fuck that up. Why’s she so perfect? It's different, since he usually has a choice. Cherry’s sheer presence leaves no room for conscious thought; Aquilo isn't sure what to do. He's always relied on his thought, on the most practical path, but as far as he knows there's no ‘correct’ way to date, and it stresses him out that for once he has no idea what to do.

Searching up ‘how to date’ articles is a huge fucking no. Hell if he's ever going to risk his parents checking his browser history via their internet router. Or Iggy. That's prime teasing fodder, and somehow Aquilo feels uncomfortable letting others know just how in over his head he is.

Just how… head over heels he is for _her_.

For fuck’s sake, he's the only sane person around, he swears. How can he fulfill that role when he's way too busy being mushy over her? Mushy isn't a good look for Mr. Drill Sergeant Aquilo over here, anyway. The juxtaposition is going to ooze out sheer ridiculousness. It's probably not what's expected from him. It's probably stupid.

_Maybe I'll just keep it under wraps._

What's he doing? He's supposed to keep cool at all times but now he just _can't_.

He'll have to ask Cherry to turn down public affections. He doesn't want their relationship to be the subject of everyone’s close scrutiny.

Aquilo Brooks Hall shouldn't be in love, kinda, possibly, maybe. _Splendid._

It's stupid and senseless and he won't stop thinking about it. But when he looks at a picture of himself taken during his club activities, making a suitably annoyed expression at his football pals all scrambling over him, nothing in his mind really goes, ‘This person is so sweet and cuddly.’

They're all smiling. He's not.

...oh great, now he feels like an ass. Aquilo decides to take the time later to thank them all personally. 

And maybe, for Cherry, he can try. Even though he's uneasy about straying so far from his usual image, he's certain she'll lead the way, gently and persuasively.

Maybe not being a way-too-serious prick is a good change for him. Even if he barely has any choice on the matter. Cherry’s gone and turned his brain inside out and he can't quite remember any of the emptied-out contents.

Aquilo hesitates a moment before walking over to his junk drawer. Spying bright blue fabric hidden at the bottom, he reaches down and traces his finger along the hem. It's soft and silky and he gives in to temptation to wrap the fabric along his finger. _None of this suits me, really._

Or maybe he should just let go of his rep, but… maybe not. It's hard.

_It's not really easy being a loser-virgin-nerd who just so happens to be a jock._

Aquilo’s a bit jealous of his brother sometimes. His schoolmates see him as their captain first before anything else. And football is such a big deal, too. Unfortunately he's not just _any_ sportsman, he's _the_ sportsman. Being allowed to betray even a moment of weakness is fatal.

Fine fine fine maybe he's over-exaggerating, but Aquilo doesn't even care anymore! He wants to go vomit and maybe cry, but that's just silly. 

_In his own way, Iggy’s really courageous,_ Aquilo thinks.

For now, though, Aquilo shuts the drawer and flops on his bed once again, this time belly first. He hugs his pillow close and takes a few deep breaths. 

_Maybe… Cherry will take me out tomorrow?_


End file.
